Click. Refresh. Click. Refresh. The weather report didn’t change from 60°F and partly cloudy with 15mph wind. I hate wind. No matter how many times I refreshed the page I couldn’t will it to be 80 and sunny so I could wear the last of the summer kit. I wasn’t ready to let go of the shorts, or ready to add layers. Know the feeling?
I also knew that I would be putting in some serious miles that day through both shady canyons and exposed urban flats. I needed kit that would allow me to be comfortable but warm, keep me from overheating in case it got sunny but also keep that crazy wind at bay. That’s a lot to ask. So I chose the Light Long Sleeve and Signature Knickers from Velocio to test.
Let’s start with the jersey. Sure, I could have chosen a short sleeve jersey and added arm warmers. But for a long ride I had little pocket space left and the Light Long Sleeve is built exactly for a day like this. You end up having more days like this throughout the year than you think. Days that aren’t all extremes and days where weather changes as the hours tick by. It’s a lightweight jersey that is incredibly soft and feels more like a comfortable, favorite shirt than lycra bike wear. I wore the off-white color and I was fearful of too much being seen through but it was amazing how much coverage there was in the front and back. The mesh panels on the side do show the navy of my knickers at the hip and my sports bra further up. I wasn’t too bothered by this.
Hours 1 and 2 on the bike were chilly. The pictures look sunny but the air wasn’t. An early descent through shaded mountainsides made my fingers tingly but the jersey performed exactly as I hoped. I never felt the wind on my core and I never had to stop, pull over, and fish out arm warmers. Hour 3 surprisingly bumped up a few degrees. We were in the town center at this point and buildings and pavement trapped the sun. I was grateful for the jersey’s collar neckline and the mesh paneling. Those mesh panels are exactly what make this jersey so great to wear. I never had to unzip, even with the sun on my back. I felt air flow as we rode, fast and slow, through town and back to the mountains.
I wore a size small and usually do in Velocio. I have a 36 bust and 32 waist. I’m an hourglass shape, for sure, but not the teetering Barbie kind. This jersey hid a little roll here or there, even with a bright cream color that you expect to hide nothing. Also worth noting, because it’s a peeve of mine, the jersey didn’t tug in the waist when I filled my pockets full and unevenly with a vest, food, wallet, etc. It was like the pockets and the body were two separate pieces not affecting each other and working well together to keep the fit flattering.
I chose to pair the jersey with the Signature Knickers. These knickers never felt constricting or hot, despite the long 20-mile climb in peak daytime. My biggest complaint about knickers is the leg band. It often rides up to the knee and squeezes, making each pedal stroke enough to test the patience of Job. Velocio removes this issue entirely with a mesh panel behind the knee and a gripper that hits mid-calf. The gripper is as comfortable as their bib short leg bands and you won’t feel it on your skin. You can wear a tall sock when you don’t want skin exposed to the cold or you can sport a short sock, like I did, but beware of the new tan lines.
The key feature of these knickers is the superfly zipper for easy nature breaks. I finally got to test it out several times during the 40 miles of quiet mountain roads and dirt paths. I was scared to rip something at first, but a few false starts and I got the hang of it. I zipper down and as I crouch down to pee I also pull down to make room. Fast and easy to zipper back up, even with sweaty skin. Where has this been all my life?! I want this feature in every bib short and pant I own!
I felt no seams or tag out of place and appreciate the front mesh panel for my core. The updates Velocio has made to their bib straps over the seasons is impressive. At first I couldn’t believe that a strap so soft would have enough elastic but I had no trouble stretching them for my nature break and bouncing back without once ever feeling it on my skin during the whole ride. The straps criss-cross in the back and are easy on and off when changing. The bibs are compressive but not constrictive and never have I ever looked more flattering than when I wear Velocio bottoms. Honest. Best of all, the chamois is a perfect Goldilocks fit. Not too wide, not too narrow, not too bulky and not too thin. These were great for a long day in the saddle but I would definitely choose them for a quick morning spin, too. I wear a size large and I have a 38 hip.
Overall
The fit of both the jersey and knickers are flattering and comfortable while being incredibly stylish. The quality of the pieces are impressive and can be in your cycling closet for years to come. The details of the zippers, collar, pockets, leg bands and mesh panels are a true display of a company that puts performance of a cyclist first. These pieces are worth their price and I do look forward to more rides in the kit over the coming California winter.
Full disclosure: I received the kit reviewed in this post free of charge. The decision to write this review and all opinions expressed are 100% my own. This is not a sponsored post. Thanks as always for reading!
WomensKit 